How do you ensure finance curricula remain on the cutting edge in an industry constantly adjusting to technology-driven changes? At Stevens, a deep bench of experts representing the world’s great finance companies provide invaluable guidance and direction, ensuring programs remain current with industry needs and creating remarkable professional development opportunities for students. Stevens is deeply appreciative of the role its board of advisors plays in ensuring the continued excellence of its finance programs.
Arnisa Abazi
Managing director, Head of Portfolio management Group, Citi
Arnisa Abazi is Head of the Portfolio Management Group (PMG) at Citi's covering the limit and risk rating framework, management and governance structure for stress testing and credit allowance, and forward-looking tools, and analytics to support the wholesale credit portfolio oversight. With 18 years of experience in the Financial Services industry, she brings to this role a strong understanding of portfolio limit management frameworks, current and new forecasting methodologies for Wholesale Credit stress losses and reserving, experience managing teams, complex projects, and interactions with regulators. Arnisa holds a Ph.D. in Economics with concentrations in Econometrics and Financial Economics. She has taught Enterprise Risk Systems in the Master of Financial Engineering program and Econometrics in both graduate and undergraduate programs.
Ishaan Acharya
Director, Hudson River Trading
Ishaan is responsible for finance and strategy at HRT, an automated trading firm that brings a scientific approach to trading financial products globally. Previously, he worked in the Financial Institutions Group at JPMorgan, where he specialized in M&A and capital markets advisory in the market structure, fintech, and asset management sectors. Ishaan began his career at Goldman Sachs and worked for the firm in New York and London. Ishaan graduated from Stevens and received his MBA from Duke University.
Farshid Asl
Partner, Goldman Sachs
Farshid is responsible for the strategic asset allocation and quantitative modeling and analysis of tactical views for the Investment Strategy Group. Previously, Farshid was a senior vice president of Risk Analytics at GMAC. He has been a program fellow and adjunct professor at Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, and has published various papers in quantitative journals and led a number of workshops in quantitative trading. Farshid has an M.S. in Financial Engineering and a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Oana Diaconu
Executive Director, Data Science, CVS Health
Oana has 15 years’ experience in analytics and strategy in the United States and Europe, having worked in the financial services industry and in academia. She has a Ph.D. in Applied Economics from Clemson University and an MBA from London Business School, and is a Fulbright alumna. Aside her experience in the industry, Oana has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in economics and data science, and her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Kanika Ghocha
Manager, Deloitte Consulting
Kanika has over 10 years of consulting and financial services industry experience across USA and APAC, with a focus on Finance strategy and transformation, M&A Deals advisory. She has been serving as a trusted advisor to leading Fortune 500 companies for the design and execution of their Strategy and operating model, and transformation initiatives. She has several publications to her name, including white papers and thought leadership. She earned her MBA (PGDM) in Finance from SPJIMR, Mumbai; Master's in Finance from Stevens Institute of Technology and Bachelor's (Honors) in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi.
Sean Hanlon
Chairman and CEO, Hanlon Investment Management
Sean founded Hanlon Investment Management, an innovative asset management, services and financial technology company, in 1999. He is chairman of the advisory board for the Hanlon Financial System Center at Stevens and serves on the university’s board of trustees. Sean earned a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens in 1980, earned the Certified Financial Planner designation in 1997, and is a member of Stockton University’s financial planning advisory board.
Nicholas Hegarty
Managing Director and Co-Head, Client Solutions Americas, Partners Group
Nicholas is part of the Client Solutions Americas business unit, and has 13 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Partners Group, he worked at Goldman Sachs, the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Air Force. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy, an MBA from the University of Dayton, Ohio, and a juris doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law.
Bob Hudak
Managing Director and Head of Corporate Finance Advisory and Solutions, Mizuho Securities USA
Bob advises corporate clients across industries on financial and business strategies and policies, and develops customized structured solutions for key financial problems and M&A initiatives. Bob is a three-time recipient of “Deal of the Year” honors by IDD. Prior to joining Mizuho, Bob was responsible for similar corporate finance activities at JPMorgan, Citibank and RBS, and also worked at Exxon. He has a B.S. in Civil, Chemical & Environmental Engineering from Rutgers University, and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Antonios Lazanas
Head of Portfolio and Index Research, Bloomberg LP
Antonios’ team is responsible for the portfolio risk and performance analysis models incorporated into Bloomberg’s advanced portfolio and index analysis system, as well as research and products in systematic strategies, factor investing, smart beta and portfolio construction. Previously, he worked at Barclays, Lehman Brothers and Salomon Brothers. Antonios holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, and a diploma of Electrical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens.
Jane Lin
Partner and Principal, EY
Jane has more than 15 years’ financial services experience, with a focus on the development, validation and review of credit risk models for retail and commercial credit exposures. Jane has worked on numerous credit analytics engagements with leading financial institutions for stress testing, loss forecasting, portfolio management and related considerations. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from Columbia University, and bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Geography from the University of Massachusetts.
Claire Mezzanotte
Group Managing Director, Morningstar DBRS
Claire is responsible for leading the rating and surveillance teams, quantitative analysis, methodology, and model development and research. She oversees approximately 160 analysts in New York, Chicago, London and Toronto. Claire also is chair of the Structured Finance Criteria Committee and the Policy Review Group. Previously, she worked at Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service and Chase Manhattan Bank, among others. Claire received a B.S. with honors in Finance from the University of Connecticut.
Niladri Mukherjee
Chief Investment Officer, TIAA Wealth Management
Niladri ‘Neel’ Mukherjee is currently a Senior Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer for TIAA Wealth Management. He is responsible for managing all aspects of the investment process from investment strategy, due diligence, portfolio management, equites, and fixed income solutions.
Previously, he served as a Managing Director and Head of Portfolio Strategy for the Chief Investment Office (CIO) within Bank of America supporting Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and the Private Bank. In this role, he was responsible for setting macro-economic, investment/ portfolio strategy and tactical asset allocation guidance for all wealth management lines of businesses, impacting roughly $2 trillion of assets under management. He was a voting member of the Investment Strategy Committee (ISC) and the Investment Oversight Committee; co- headed the working group that set equity strategy recommendations; and a leader within the Operating Committee for the Investment Solutions Group comprising all product/platform teams and CIO. Niladri’s responsibilities also included delivering top of the house investment guidance and market insights to clients, advisors and various specialist teams through regular thought-leadership reports, national calls and conferences and has appeared on media outlets such as CNBC, Bloomberg, and Yahoo Finance. He had previously held leadership positions such as Director of Portfolio Strategy for the Private Banking and Investment Management group, Merrill’s ultra-high net-worth business and Head Strategist for the Western Division.
Prior to his 16-year tenure at Bank of America/Merrill, he was a portfolio manager for a long/short hedge fund and large cap mutual fund at Dover Management. He has also worked at KPMG LLP’s Financial Services group in New York and at New Delhi-based Infrastructure Professionals Enterprise, where he advised government agencies on issues related to urban infrastructure development, financial restructuring, and policy formulation. Niladri earn his M.B.A degree in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a B.S. degree in Physics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Stevens School of Business at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey.
Joseph Pabst
Vice President, U.S. Commercial Charge Risk Strategy, American Express
Joseph is responsible for monitoring credit risk to a multibillion-dollar portfolio of airlines. Before his current role, Joseph led consumer credit operations for Latin America and Spain with a team of 150 employees. Joseph previously was responsible for pricing and revenue management of American Express’ Latin American merchant business. Previously, he worked in the loyalty programs business at American Airlines and Continental Airlines. He holds an MBA and B.S. from Purdue University.
J. Scott Swensen
Founder and Chairman, Conduit Capital Partners
Scott formed Conduit in 2003 to continue the Latin Power business he had started at Scudder, Stevens & Clark. Scott’s career has also included work with The Chase Manhattan Bank (now JPMorgan Chase), Banque Paribas (now BNP Paribas) and DB Capital Partners. Scott is a member of the Stevens board of trustees. He was a member of the board of the Latin American Venture Capital Association and is now chairman and CEO of the Latin American Venture Capital and Private Equity Foundation. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens and an MBA from New York University.